Pippin's Rose
by Scorpia Malfoy
Summary: I'm just your average 15 year old bookworm who never seems to fit in anywhere. And so why have I been thrown into Middle Earth along with two of my worst enemies? And why in the name of Gnadalf's hat is Pippin kissing me? Tenth walker, hopefully not a Mary-Sue. LegolasxOC, PippinxOC. Sounds like a typical girl-ends-up in M.E, but please just give it a go :) (just renamed)
1. Summoned

I dodge a paper aeroplane, turn the page of my book and sigh deeply. Having an eighty minute long physics lesson the last thing on a Friday is certainly not what I would call fun. Only twenty minutes in and already my classmates are causing havoc. I've lost count of the amount of objects that have been thrown at me. I had been trying to hold a conversation with my friend Lee, but another boy, Callum, was getting annoyed with him for not helping with the experiment.

Callum is one of those strange boys who no-one seems to really like but is allowed to tag around after certain groups of people if he remembers to not be too weird. He's found me highly annoying for a long time, and the feeling has been reciprocated for just as long. Lee and I have made it our goal to annoy him as much as possible. So far, it's working, and I think that it's all down to my mischievous nature. Today, I have managed to attach a 'kick me' sign to the back of his blazer, hide a part of his experiment and then hide the three replacements that he was given by the teacher, and skilfully throw a paper aeroplane so that it hit him right between the eyes. My behaviour is childish, I know, but I've tried being mature, and quite frankly, It's not all It's cracked up to be. So I gave in to my cheeky inner self and am now described as being a class clown by both teachers and classmates.

A girl sitting at the front of the room laughs at a joke her friend is telling her. I roll my eyes. Her name's Melissa, and I dislike her even more than Callum. She has this curly hair, which she says is natural, but quite obviously isn't. Her make up makes her look so fake that even Barbie couldn't stomach her, but it does nothing for her facial beauty. I've heard boys talking about her on more than one occasion, and one even said 'she has a weird ass face.' I can't help but giggle thinking about it, and she turns round with a look of disgust. She constantly has this angry, snobbish, 'I'm better than you at everything' expression, when in truth all she can really do is bend her body into creepy positions, kick people and stick her abnormally large chest in boys' faces. She's one of those girly girls, belonging to the evil cult of pink and glitter which I have sworn never to join. I shudder at the thought of dresses or high heels or make up. I'd much prefer to wear combat boots, leggings and a forest green jacket.

I look down at my book again. The teacher, Mr Langley, is playing solitaire on the computer at the front of the classroom. If he doesn't notice the objects flying past every ten seconds, he's unlikely to notice a girl sitting at the back of the classroom reading. It's The Fellowship of the Ring, one of my favourite books of all time. I've just got to the part where the Council of Elrond is gathering when the bell rings. Already? It can't be four o'clock yet. I don't look up from my book immediately, because I think the system must be malfunctioning, but then it strikes me. That's not the school bell. It sounds more like one of those old lighthouse bells or something. Looking up, I notice nothing strange. The clock reads ten to three. The others are working on their electric circuits (if you can call what this rabble is doing working) and Mr Langley is still focused on the computer screen.

'What was that?' I ask Lee as he passes by the end of my desk.

'What was what?'

'That bell.'

'I didn't hear anything' he replied, approaching my table and picking up some scissors. 'Mind if I borrow these?'

'Sure.'

I look out the window, confused. The rain is lashing against the glass, and the forest on the hill in the distance is alive with bending trees. I turn my attention back to my book and gasp. The pages are gone. Nothing is written beyond the sentence I have just read. Nothing at all. I instinctively turn and say 'Callum, what have you done to my book?'

'What? I didn't touch your stupid book.'

'Well how come the pages are missing, then?'

'I don't know or care.'

'Look, Callum, this book is special to me. It's my mum's old copy. And if you've done anything to it I swear I'm going to shoot you!'

'Shoot me? With what? Your paper aeroplanes?'

'No, with my bow, I have my own, you know, and so if I find out-'

CLANG, GLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

'What the hell was that?' Callum asks, almost dropping his pen.

'You heard it too?'

'Of course I did. It was so loud I bet even Mr Langley heard it. And he's deaf as they come.'

I look over at Mr Langley. Only, he's not there anymore. Or rather, I'm not there anymore. Looking around me, I come to a conclusion. I know it's impossible, but I think I'm in Rivendell. And Callum and Melissa are here too. Oh, no...


	2. Befriended

When I stand up, I know that something's different. Callum's much, much taller. Either that or I'm much, much shorter. I look down at my feet and realise immediately that it's the latter.

'Shit!' I say, staring down at myself in bewilderment. I'm a hobbit!' Sure enough, I'm wearing no shoes, and my much larger feet are hairy. I also notice with a strange jolt in my stomach that I'm wearing _a dress. _'I'm wearing a dress!'

'No shit, Sherlock' replied Callum. It's really ugly, I think you should-

But Callum stopped mid-sentence, seeing the look on my face. 'What?'

'You're an elf' I say in awe. Callum looks different. His features have changed; his chin is a little thinner, and his once slightly unattractive facial features are fairer, more defined. His ears end in almost delicate points, and he stands taller, more poised, somehow. But then I laugh.

'Your hair!' I say, before I can stop myself. 'It's longer than mine.'

Callum looks down at his hair in disgust. 'Fuck!' He says, lifting up a section of his now long brown hair to the light and screwing up his face in horror. 'I look like a girl!'

'No, you don't' I say, tilting my head to one side and looking at him thoughtfully. 'You look far less ugly than you did back home.'

Callum looks at me quizzically, with a similar look of distaste. Then we hear a small whimper, and turn to see Melissa, curled up on the floor. Callum walks up to her tentatively and nudges her with his foot, which is clad in a simple soft leather boot. Melissa doesn't budge. He tries again, and this time she sits up, a look of pure hatred in her eyes.

'What do you want?'

'Nothing, bitch-face. I was just wondering why you were lying on the floor.'

'I landed like this. And what the fuck happened to you?'

'I'm an elf' replies Callum, almost proudly.

'No, you're not. Elves are like one foot tall and work in Santa's workshop or something.'

'Can you get any more stupid? We're in Middle Earth. Elves are tall here.'

'Middle Earth?'

'You know, where Lord of the Rings is set?'

'Bullshit. It's just a story.'

'Explain this, then' I interject, coming forward to stand right in front of Melissa, who had previously not noticed me.

'Holy shit.' She says, looking me up and down. 'You're even worse than this girly elf over here.'

'Hey!' cuts in Callum. 'At least I don't look even uglier than before.'

I look at Melissa. She looks pretty much the same as the last time I'd seen her, just a few moments ago in class, but she isn't wearing any make up and her plain brown hair falls limp about her shoulders.

'What? I just curled it this morning!' she says, staring down at her hair. 'How come you have curly hair and I don't, Tilly?'

I examine my own locks and discover that my hair is a little longer than before, wavy, with delicate ringlets about my ears and face, and shines slightly more golden than it had previously.

'It's because I'm a hobbit' I reply, grinning. We all do.'

Suddenly, a noise like a small herd of elephants fills the open-roofed stone corridor that we're standing in.

'Hello!' a small voice says. 'Are you elves?'

Turning around, I at once recognise the three people that have rounded the corner. But how? I immediately know that they are Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, but in the real world, they are played by actors. And yet here they are, roughly the same height as me. There's Sam with his gingery-brown hair, Merry with his not quite blonde curls, and then Pippin. He looks somewhat younger than he does in the movies, but he's still the same person. His hair shines in the sunlight, and his eyes, his very, very blue eyes, are sparkling somehow. He's grinning expectantly, waiting for one of us to speak.

'Hello. I'm Tilly, another Hobbit. This is Callum, an elf, and this is Melissa. I think she's human.'

'Of course I'm human, idiot.' She replies. 'What else would I be?'

'Hey, that's no way to speak to a friend' says Sam, joining Pippin, who's standing just in front of me. 'What did she do to offend you?'

'I don't know who you think you are, 'Hobbit', but she's not my friend. She never has been and she never will be. So mind your own business.'

Sam's face falters. He looks hurt.

'Melissa, stop being so mean' I say, walking over to Sam and hugging him. Why did I do that? I expect him to push me away, but he hugs back, and when he pulls away, he's smiling again.

'Thank you, Tilly. That was much appreciated.'

'Don't mention it.'

Even though I know full well what he's called, I ask 'What's your name, then?'

'I'm Sam, this is Merry, and the smaller one here's Pippin.'

'Pleasure to meet you, young hobbits' I reply, turning to Callum and beckoning for him to come over. 'Callum, come and meet the hobbits!'

Callum gives me a slightly odd look, but approaches the group anyway and shakes hands with each of the hobbits in turn.

'Would you like to come and visit our friend with us?' asks Pippin, looking at me with almost pleading eyes. 'Only, he's very sick at the moment and he hasn't woken yet.'

I know of whom the little hobbit speaks, of course, but I can't very well let him know that. Instead, I say, 'Go on, then.'

Pippin's face lights up, and, very surprisingly, he grabs my hand and starts to walk, leaving me to follow alongside him. I hear Sam shouting 'Slow down, Pippin. Frodo's not going to go anywhere!'

But Pippin ignores his friend, and he leads me through the paths of Rivendell, not caring in the slightest that we're probably making a lot of noise.

'You know Sam,' Merry says when we're out of earshot, 'I think Tilly's going to become a good friend of ours.'

'Agreed' replies Sam, and they follow behind us, leaving Melissa and Callum bemused.


	3. Surprised

Finally, Pippin stops outside a large wooden door and drops my hand. Surprisingly, I wish that he hadn't. But when I look up at him, he's still smiling as enthusiastically as ever. 'This is my very dear friend, Frodo Baggins. I think you'll like him' he says, opening the door and holding it open for me. 'Ladies first.'

I grin at Pippin and walk into the room. Frodo is lying in bed asleep. I turn round, looking for the others, but they aren't there. They've probably gone to take care of Callum and Melissa. So that just leaves me, Pippin, and an unconscious Frodo.

'He was stabbed by a Morgul blade' explains Pippin, walking over to Frodo and sitting down on the bed. 'But Arwen rescued him and brought him here. Lord Elrond says he's going to be fine.'

I join Pippin on the bed and look down at Frodo. He looks so innocent lying there, almost child-like in his unconscious state. His dark hair falls in ringlets over his eyes, and his small nose is smattered with the tiniest amount of pale freckles.

'He's handsome, isn't he?' says Pippin, breaking the silence and looking at me through his own curls. 'A lot of the lasses back home were quite smitten with him.'

Pippin looks almost jealous. I know how he feels. My own cousin, Ethel, is very pretty, and I can't help but resent her slightly, even though I love her a lot. I realise that I don't want Pippin to feel the same way, and so I say, quietly, 'I think you're cuter.'

'What?' He says, his blue eyes wide with surprise. Damn. I could get lost in those eyes.

'I said I think you're cuter' I reply. You have a nicer face.'

'Me? But Frodo is the best looking hobbit I know.'

'Yes, but your face says more. I can tell you're mischievous, have a warm heart, all of that.'

Pippin stares at me. I'm scared now. What the fuck did I say all of that for? I've known him for all of five minutes and already I'm telling him he's cute. I look away and am about to stand up when he takes my hand. A spark shoots up my arm and my face turns hot. What is this?

'Tilly, please don't be scared by what I'm about to do.'

'What are you going to do?' _Oh god, now I really am scared_. I sit back down, not really knowing what to do.

'I realise I've only just met you, but I feel like I know you already. Does that make sense?' _No, of course not._

'Yes, I suppose.'

'Then I need to do something.'

'What?'

He tilts my chin up with one hand and hesitates just a moment. The look on his face almost scares me - nobody has ever looked at me that way, with such...what's the word? Adoration? I'm not sure how to name such things, being inexperienced with them.

When he smiles at me, the twinge of fear vanishes. He leans forward and my eyes close almost instinctively. They, at least, seem to know what to do.

His lips find mine a moment later, and they're warm and soft. I don't know what else to do but let it happen...and I am more than happy to just let it. His actions delicate as if he knows that this is a first for me , but some part of me knows that he's never done this before either. I can feel him trembling a bit, and so I put my hand on his knee to calm him. One of his hands touches my shoulder, the other keeps my chin tilted.

Part of me is thinking '_Oh my God. He's only just met me and already we're kissing. I really want to kiss him back right now.' _And the rest of me wants to run away and never look back. Why is he doing this? He doesn't even know me yet!

I feel his lips eventually leave mine and he leans away again, releasing me. I just sit there, surprised and thrilled at the same time and waiting for him to say something. He just looks at me for a long time, the same gentle expression on his face.

'I have to go' he says quietly 'I have to sort something out.'

Pippin stands up and leaves, his face flushed. Oh God. Was I really that terrible? I wait a few moments and leave too, shutting the door quietly behind me and tiptoeing away. I have to find Melissa and Callum. God knows what sort of trouble they're getting up to in my absence. But before I can get more than a few steps, I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn round to see Merry.

'Looks like Pippin's put a claim on you, then' he says, grinning mischievously. 'He looks infatuated already.'

I reply quietly for some reason. 'Why did he do that?'

'What?'

'Kiss me?'

'He likes you, Tilly. I would have thought you'd have gathered that out by yourself, what with the fact that he's practically just shoved his tongue town your throat.'

'But he's only just met me' I reply, putting a hand to my now very hot forehead. 'Surely he can't know that he likes me already.'

'Haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?'

'Yes, but that never happens, at least not for me.'

'We'll see about that' Merry replies, still grinning. He takes my arm and leads me down the corridor.

'Where are we going? I ask, scared that he's taking me to Pippin. I can't face him at the moment.

'To see Lord Elrond. Your friends Melissa and Callum are already there.'

'_The _Lord Elrond?' what does he want to see me for? I'm just a normal Hobbit.'

'Oh, come on, Tilly. We both know you're not a normal hobbit. And your companions don't look quite right either. You've got some kind of mystery about you.'

'I wonder if this mystery is what Pippin sees in me, because trust me, I'm not the prettiest flower in the bunch.'

'Maybe not, but you know how it is. Some people like tulips, others like roses. And almost as an afterthought, he adds 'And I know for a fact that Pip likes roses.'

Left to swim in my sea of thoughts, I allow Merry to guide me through Rivendell. If what he says is right, and I am 'Pippin's rose', then maybe it won't be so bad here.


	4. Not quite aknowledged

Merry comes to a halt outside a large wooden door. Inside, I can hear a raised voice, and I instantly recognise it to be Melissa's.

'I want to go home!' she's yelling. 'I can't believe you made a mistake. I shouldn't even be here!'

Merry sighs. 'She's been shouting at poor Lord Elrond for almost ten minutes now. I think you'd better go in and try to shut her up.'

He knocks quietly on the door, and the voices stop. Someone walks up to the door and opens it. It's Lord Elrond. _The_ Lord Elrond. I can't help but stare. He looks just like he does in the movies, but in real life (if indeed this _is_ real life)he's a little less ugly, and has an almost ethereal glow about him.

'Welcome, Miss Tilly. We've been waiting for you. Come on in.'

I glance round at Merry, who nods encouragingly and gives me a little nudge. 'Go on. I'll wait outside.'

I immediately recognise the room we're in; it's the place where the council was held. I stare around me in awe- It's beautiful. Elrond sits down and seems to get straight to the point.

'Tilly, you and Callum have been summoned to Middle Earth. It is no accident that you are here.'

'What about Melissa?'

'I do not know why she is here. I did not summon her. And we cannot send her home until you and Callum have fulfilled your purpose.'

'We have a purpose?'

'Yes, Tilly. It is unknown what yours is. You will have to find that out for yourself.'

'So why am I here if you don't know what I'm supposed to do?' I sit down next to Callum, who shuffles away slightly. He's so immature. Sensing this is going to be a long conversation, Melissa also takes a seat, though she sits as far away from us as possible.

'In the second age of Middle Earth, two spirits wandered the mortal world. They were all-knowing, all-powerful beings, and were known for their wisdom and power. They prophesised that in a time of great need, their reincarnations would appear and aid in the defeat of evil. They gifted to the race of elves a bell that would call forth from their own world two young warriors. You, Tilly, are one of them.'

'Me, a warrior? You've got to be joking.'

'You can say that again. She's pathetic. _I _should be the warrior. I know tae Kwando' says Melissa, her face angry as usual.

'I know nothing of this 'Tae Kwando', but I do know that Tilly has been chosen and you have not' replies Elrond, his face expressionless.

'Fine, then I'm leaving.'

Elrond tries to stop Melissa, but she barges rudely past him and out the door, deliberately hitting Merry's shoulder with her elbow as she passes him.

'There will be a council held here tomorrow' Elrond continues, trying to act as though nothing has happened. 'I request your presence there'

Callum and I turn to face each other, our mouths open wide. Neither of us imagined that we'd be summoned to the council.

'But now, I must ask that you leave me. Tilly, I would go and find you new friends if I were you.'

I nod and almost run out of the room. Merry catches my arm as I walk out and says; 'Whoa, Tilly. Where are you off too?'

'I don't quite know.'

'Well then, let's go and find Sam and _Pippin_.'

I notice how he puts emphasis on the word Pippin, and when I look up at him he winks. He notices my flustered expression on my face and says; 'I had a little chat with Pippin a minute ago. He says he's sorry if he scared you, and that he was only trying to figure something out.'

'And what was he trying to figure out?'

'Wether he liked you or not.'

'And does he?'

'He- he didn't say.'

'Great. So Pippin probably doesn't even like me. Well good. Because I don't think I like him, either. At least not like that.'

Merry remains silent. After a couple of minutes, I catch sight of Sam and Pippin running around in a small stone courtyard, apparently playing some sort of tag. Pippin runs up to us, nudges my arm playfully and shouts; 'You're it, Tilly!'

He runs away laughing, and I have no other choice but to chase after him. I'm so confused. Does he like me or not?

The game of tag grows very noisy in a very short space of time, and a tall blonde elf eventually approaches us to inform us that Lord Elrond has requested that we play a quieter game.

'I have an idea' I say, sitting on the floor and beckoning for the other three to do the same. 'Let's play truth or dare.'

'What's that?' asks Pippin, cocking his head to one side and looking highly confused.

'It's where you go round the circle, and each person is asked whether they want to be dared to do something or get asked a question which they must answer truthfully.'

'Sounds okay to me' says Sam, turning to Merry. 'I'll go first. Merry, truth or dare?'

'Dare'

'I dare you to sit in that stream over there.'

Merry turns and notices that there's a small brook running over the rocks and down the waterfall.

'Fine.'

He walks over to the almost strangely clear water and stands in it.

'Ah! It's freezing! There's no way I'm sitting down in this. I want another dare.'

'You can't have another one' replies Sam, grinning. 'You have to do it.'

With an almost pained expression on his face, Merry slowly and reluctantly lowers himself down until he's sitting in the water. We all giggle at his sharp intake of breath.

'I'll get you back for this!' he says to Sam, half laughing, half scowling.

'Oh, you will, will you?'

'Sam, truth or dare?'

'Truth.'

'Was it you who stole my last roast potato at lunch yesterday?'

'Well, if I have to be honest, then yes.'

'I knew it! You little pile of orc dung!'

'I was hungry!'

'You're always hungry!'

'Ok, guys. Let's calm down. Pippin, truth or dare?'

I don't know why, but I feel a bit nervous asking Pippin. Maybe it's because I'm scared that Sam will find out about the kiss. It's bad enough that Merry knows.

'Dare' he replies, his face lighting up in the way that only his does.

'I dare you to throw some mud at Melissa.'

Pippin's eyes grow even wider. I can tell he likes to be mischevious.

'All right. Where is she?'

'I think she's down at the stables' replies Merry. She's taken a shine to Prince Legolas of Mirkwood and asked him to teach her to ride.'

'That'll be entertaining to watch. Horses are more scared of Melissa than they are of snakes.'

'Well, what are we waiting for?' says Pippin, springing up and beckoning for us to follow. He doesn't grab my hand this time. He doesn't even really make proper eye contact with me. I told Merry that love at first sight isn't real, and I guess I must be right. Why else would Pippin kiss me and then not even look at me properly?


End file.
